Kean’s pass/fail grading option for online semester gets mixed reviews

By Zoe Strozewski | Published by April 17, 2020

Kean University’s announcement that students may choose a pass/fail grade for up to two courses this semester because of its move to online classes amid the coronavirus pandemic is getting mixed reactions from students.  

A University Relations email on March 26 informed all students, faculty, and staff of the new grading option. Kean’s Instagram page posted the announcement on the same day, and the comments section of the post received a range of reactions. 

One comment called the decision a “great idea” while another said it made “no sense.” 

Additional comments expressed confusion about the process of opting into pass/fail grades, while others critiqued the decision to offer a pass/fail over other options such as a grading curve, which Kean students petitioned for last month on change.org. 

Abigail Anne Rafael, a communications major, said she thought the pass/fail decision was a positive move. 

“Many students have found themselves in a variety of circumstances that have made finishing the rest of the semester extra difficult,” Rafael said. “I’m sure this option will be beneficial for many students.” 

Two days before Kean released its decision, members of the University Senate expressed apprehension over the possibility of pass/fail grades during its March 24 meeting. Some were concerned that students who use the pass/fail system would not be able to get needed GPA boosts, while others called it a one size fits all move that ignored the complexities of each separate student’s situation. 

The university relations email announcement explained that students will get their usual letter grades but afterward each student could use the pass/fail option for up to two courses. Students will be given until June 1 after receiving their letter grades to decide if they want to opt into pass-no credit for grades they are unhappy with. The no-credit designation will appear as a U grade, meaning no credit will be given for the course but the grade will not affect a student’s grade point average. 

“This initiative, which many institutions across the country are offering in some form, recognizes the extraordinary circumstances and challenges this semester poses for our students,” the email said. “The ‘pass/fail’ grade option may help relieve stress and give students more confidence during this unprecedented time.” 

The email said that the pass/fail system would count any letter grades below a C as failing, which would show up as a “U” on transcripts. Neither a pass or fail mark would cause any change in a student’s GPA. 

The email also said that students who choose to use the pass/fail system would have to go through an approval process with their advisors and a financial aid counselor. This is because certain program requirements, graduate school admission guidelines and financial aid criteria call for letter grades. 

Dr. Jonathan Mercantini, acting dean of the College of Liberal Arts, said that in regards to Kean’s program requirements, there would be few courses for which students couldn’t choose the pass/fail option.  

“Those are primarily related to external certification and accreditations requirements,” Mercantini said. “For example, the state of New Jersey may require a letter grade in a course to be eligible for a state issue license. Those are determined by the specific program.” 

For this reason, academic advisors need to check and authorize that students choosing a pass/fail mark for a class aren’t jeopardizing any opportunities, Mercantini said. 

While pass/fail grading has some students breathing sighs of relief, many people have questioned how opting in can affect their chances of getting into a graduate program or medical school. Some schools, such as Georgetown University School of Medicine (GUSOM), have announced they would be more lenient during the application process. 

“Due to the decision of many institutions to move to an online Pass/Fail format for the COVID-19 crisis during Spring 2020, GUSOM will accept Pass/Fail and Credit/No Credit courses, including online classes, for courses completed in that semester only,” the GUSOM admissions page said. “At institutions where moving to Pass/Fail was optional, course grades on a scale of A-F are highly preferable, especially for pre-requisite and BCPM courses.” 

The Cornell University Graduate School announced that it would take the hardships of the spring 2020 semester into account when considering students who had chosen to request any pass/fail grading, according to the article. 

“Admissions committees and offices for graduate and professional programs in the Graduate School will take into account the significant disruptions and challenges associated with the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic when reviewing applicants’ academic transcripts and other application materials as part of these programs’ ongoing practice of performing individualized, holistic reviews of each applicant,” an announcement on the Cornell University Graduate School website said. 

Kean’s Nathan Weiss Graduate College has not released a policy or statement on whether its admission officers will be more lenient or take a holistic view when considering applications. 

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